Glass gathering



April 5, 1932.

F. o NEILL GLASS GATHERING Filed March 19, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet l April5, 1932. F. ONElLL 1,352,329

GLASS GATHERING Filed March 19 192"! 6 Sheets-Sheet, 2

I l/II April 5, 1932.

6 Sheets S heet 3 I Filed March 19 Alsril 5, 1932. QNElLL 1,852,329

GLASS GATHERING Filed March,19, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 5, 1932. F,ONEILL 1,852,329

GLAS S GATHERI NG Filed March 19. 1927 e s et -Shem. 5

I w" 1] E I 1- i i x I M7 1 El HE. E I I I /6 4 a v I a April 5, 1932.O'NEILL 1,852,329

GLASS GATHERING Filed March 19. 1921 a Sheets-Sheet e Patented Apr. 5,1932 PATENT OFFICE FRANK ONEILL, OF TOLEDO, OHIO GLASS GATHERINGApplication filed March 19, 1927. Serial No. 176,845.

This invention relates'to obtaining molten or liquid material from apool.

This invention has utility when incorporated for gathering gobs ofmolten glass for It forming such into articles of ware.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of an embodiment of theinvention for gathering gobs to be formed into articles of ware;

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 11-11, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the actuating and transmissionfeatures of the :5 apparatus as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 3a is a partial view of the shear drive;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view on a reduced scale in plan of the drive ormain actuator for the ware forming machine and its trans- 2 missionconnection to the gather of this dis closure;

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line V-V, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view on the line VI-VI, Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a partial section on the line VII- V11, Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of the elevating andlowering device or control for the gather cup apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a detail view, with parts broken away, of the control for thepaddle lifting;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line X.X, Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a piping diagram of the power control connections.

Furnace 1 is shown as having molten glass 2 therein as a pool at a levelfor flow by opening 3 into overhang 4 having floor 5 with partial dam 6and island boss 7. Opposing this dam 6 is skimmer 8 adjustable forclearmice in holding back heat for the furnace as well as keepingfloating impurities from working into the terminus of the boot overhang.he-boss 7 has central opening 9 thereof the object there is a trailingportion to be through. Upwardly disposed in this opening is shaft 10having upper terminus 11 as a key upon which is mounted plate 12 havingpaddles or wings 13, 14, 15, 16, drooped downward toward the floor 5 andfrom the plate 12 for continuous submergence in the pool of molten glassin the boot during the rotation of the shaft 10. Opposing this floor 5,the overhang has fixed roof 17 and removable roof section 18 leavingclearance way 19 for gather operation with overhang 20 on the side ofsaid gather opening 19 away from the removable roof portion 18. Thisroof portion 18 extends downwardly to the region of the plate 12 and isa closure against loss of heat from the portion of the pool of rlnoltenglass between the dam 6 and the shaft.

In order to keep up the temperature of this region of molten glass inthe boot, gas burner 21 may be directed through opening 22 as a heaterfor a portion of the pool of glass. The glass as circulated by thepaddles 13, 14, 15, 16, is a maintained continuous closed circuit. Fromthis heated portion, adjacent the burner 21, under the removable roofportion 18, it flows into the gather portion 19, and thence back intothe heated portion as a continuous closed circuit.

Removal of portions of the molten glass in the form of gathers may behad from this opening 19. In taking up the glass, say by an objectcoming theretoward, there is tendency to chill the glass and in theremoval 0 cut ofl. In the event of the object, as coming to the surfaceof the pool of glass, has a travel direction, there is a tendency tostring this trailing portion from the gather to have such drawn alongthe surface of the pool of the molten glass as a chilled portion whichis cut ofl and falls into the pool. This direction of trailing for thechilled portion is in the direction of the closed circuit of the glasspool, and accordingly is at once worked back.

to the heated region of the burner 21 and away from mingling with asubsequent gather. In machine operations in conjunction herewith, it isdesirable to have the circulation promotion device of the paddlesoperate in synchronism with such gather device, with clearance betweenthe paddles for the gather take-up operation.

As herein shown wheels 23 on platform 24 carry motor 25 having shaft 26connected by wormgear speed reduction 27 to drive sprocket wheel 28 onstub shaft 29. From this sprocket wheel 28 extends sprocket chain 30about sprocket wheel 31 fixed with clutch member 32. Clutch sleeve 33 ascontrolled by lever 34 having fixed fulcrum 35 in frame 36 rising fromthe platform 24 may be operable to shift the clutch member 33 intodriving engagement with the clutch 32. This clutch member 33 is splinedto shaft 37 and accordingly effects rotation of this shaft 37 upondriving operation of the motor 25. This shaft 37 thus passes throughsprocket wheel 38 loose thereon and is effective through spline 40 (Fig.9) to drive sleeve 41 fixed with the shaft 10.

In the event there is not driving of this shaft 10 from the motor 25 orthere is not oii driving of the shaft 27 from the operation of sprocketWheel 38 with the clutch 33 drawn from medial neutral position to engageclutch 42, it is important to take precaution that the paddle device benot left to freeze in the molten glass. Accordingly the roof section 18may be lifted or removed, and hand lever 43, having fixed fulcrum 44 inthe frame 36. may be shifted upward to have lock pin 45 engage opening46 in the frame 36: In so elevating this lever 43, rollers 47, ascoacting with groove 48 in the sleeve 41, serve to lift the paddles 13,14. 15 16. out of the pool of molten glass 2. This lifting maintains theangular relation of the shaft 37 with the shaft 10 due to the spline 40.The clutches 32, 33.

i 42, determine a maintained angular relation between the shaft 37 andthe actuator whether such be the motor 25 or the wheel 38. This clutchoperating lever 34 is provided with pin 49 which in neutral positionengages opening 50 thereby precluding any drive operation for the paddledevice. When the pin 49 is in opening 51. the sprocket 38 may beeffective for maintaining driving rotation of the paddle device insynchronism with the gather device. When the clutch lever 34 is shifteddownward and the pin 49 locks it in such down position engaged inopening 52. the

motor 25 is effective for operating the device. In this shiftingoperation of the lever 34. the

motor 25 is automatically started. for the lever 34 has arm 53 effectivefor closing switch 54 and thus connecting electric power lines 55 fordriving the motor 25. At once the lever 34 is shifted to disconnect theclutch 33 from the clutch 32 the motor 25 is automatically stopped bythe opening of the switch 54.

If there be further shifting of this clutch lever 34 to bring the clutch33 into driving engagement with the clutch 42, the arm 53 of the leveracts against plunger 56 to open valve 57 and thus permit the gatherdevice to be cut in (Figs. 2, 11).

When it is desired to start the gather device, lever 58 may be operatedto admit flow of power air from line 59 past valve 60 to line 61 pastthis valve 57, open valve 62, by line 63 to operate rocker valve 64similar to the rocker valve of Patent 1,490,182, Apr. 15, 1924. Thepower supply air line 59 has branches 65, 66, 67, to this valve 64. Thisoperation of the rocker valve 64 permits flow of this power 79. Thislever arm 76 (Figs. 5, 6) has fixed therewith depending arm 80 extendinginto socket 80 having yieldable connection through spring 81 to crosshead 82 effective through links 83 (Fig. 1) and arms 84 for throwinggather cup mold sections 85 into closed position. The line 73 has branch86 extending to cylinder 87 (Figs. 4, 11) for causing piston 88 todescend thereinto. thereby effective through lever 89 for actuating lockbar pin 90 from recess 91 in table 92 as mounted'on column 93. Thislever 89 as rocking on fixed fulcrum 94 has link 95 extending to arm 96to rock valve 97 similar to the lock bar device shown in Patent1,462,652, July 24, 1923. This permits supply of power air from the line67 by way of line 98 to flow by line 99 past check valve 100 andsupplemental control valve 101 thence by line 102 to power cylinder 103.This causes piston rod 104 to move into said cylinder 103 and thereby,through its rack 105, operate segment 106 as clutched with gear 107mounted on shaft 108 for driving in a counter-clockwise direction asshown in Fig. 4 similar to the drive of Patent 1,462,652, July 24. 1923.This shaft 108 is mounted on platform 109 carried by wheels 110 anddisposed for connection by bolts 111 into predetermined definiteassembly relation with the platform 24..

to the momentum of the moving parts, with the pressure air follow-up forless velocity by way of branch line 116 past adjustable oneway valve 117into the line 102.

Before this completion of the driving stroke of the piston rod 104, thein 114 has acted upon arm 118 at valve 119 or connecting power air fromthe line 65 by way of line 120 through this valve 119 to flow by line121 past the manually controllable starting valve thence by line 122 torocker valve 123 for resetting this valve 123 so that power air from theline may flow by line 124 through this valve 123 and line 125 pastadjustable check valve 126 to the upper end of cylinder 127. Thiscylinder 127 has, as to its piston and cylinder control, featuresdisclosed in U. 3. Patent 1,551,526, Aug. 25, 1925.

This operation is effective for causing descent of piston rod 128 intothis cylinder 12?. This piston rod 128 5) is connected by lever 129 tofixed fulcrum 130 carried by the frame 36 as rising from the platform24. This lever 129, intermediate its length, carries upwardly extendinglink 131. This link 131 extends upwardly through tubular column 79 andthere has pin 132 extending through slots 133 to engage collar 134loosely about the column 79. This collar 134 sustains relativelyrotatable gear 135 fixed with table 78, thus rotatably mounted aboutthis column 79. Accordingly this action of the piston and cylinderdevice 127, 128, lowers this table 78 as about the column 79, diversingthe drive travel.

From the line 125 extends branch line 136 Fi g. 11) past the valve 60and thence byline 137 to cylinder 138 for causing the piston rod 139 tomove outward therefrom and thus (Figs. 1, 3) through link 140 and arm141 mounted on fixed fulcrum 142 carried by bracket 142' the overhang 4rock saidarm 141 to swingtherewith arm 143 mounting stub shaft 144carrying inclined shear or cut-off disk 145 to swing such disk 145 awayfrom gather path or opening 19 of a furnace boot or overhang. Thiscylinder 138 is mounted by bracket 146 in fixed relation with theoverhang 5.

its the piston rod 104 approaches the end of its driving stroke, pin 147coacts with arm 118 for further shifting therewith as to the valve 119.This connects line 148 from the valve 97 through this valve 119 withline 149' to valve 150. The arm 143 at the disk cutter has fixedtherewith arm 151 having connection by link 152 (Figs. 3, 7) with arm153 at the valve 150 so that in this outward swinging movement of thecutter disk 145 away from the gather position, valve 150 is opened forcommunication by line 154 to cylinder 155 for thrusting piston rod 156therefrom and having its rack 157 operating upon pinion 158 fixed withthe shaft 144 and the disk 145. The

extent of operation of this rack 157 in coaction with the pinion 158is.such that a fractional rotation of is effected, which frac1 an equalnumber of times into a complete rotation or 360. For instance therotation may be 85 thus not bringing the same cutting region edge of thedisk 145 into cutoif position as to closed gather mold section as to thebottom of a closed gather mold section 85 only after seventeenrotationsand seventy-second operation.

This operation of the valve 119 as the piston rod 104 reaches the endof-its driving stroke is also effective to connect up power air fromline120 by way of line 159 to flow by line 160 to reset valve 64 so thatpower air from the line 67 now flows by way of line 161 to the cylinder74 for thrusting piston rod 75 therefrom. This condition arises as thepiston rod 104 has reached the end of its driv ing stroke and the tables78, 92, 112, have come to rest. Accordingly at this position, the powerair from line 161, as acting upon the cylinder 74 to thrust the pistonrod 75 therefrom, causes such piston rod to be effective on the lever76, 80, to open the gather cup or mold section 85 and thus release agather for discharge into closed blank mold section 162 as carried bythe table 92. This power air supply line 161 from the valve 64 hasbranch 163 to the cylinder 87 for thrusting the piston rod 88 upward andthrough the lever 89 effective for thrusting the table lock pin 90 intoa recess 91 in the table 92 holding the driving of the several tablesfrom being effective through the intermeshing gear relationstherebetween. The line 163 has branch 164 to cylinder for thrustingpiston rod 71 outward therefrom to withdraw the plunger 72 clear of theblank mold neck finish 72. In the shifting of the table 79 to move thearm 76 clear of the piston rod after mold closing operation, the cam 165acts to hold such closed until in the region of the delivery to theblank mold 162.

The operation of the lock bar cylinder 87 is effective through the lever89 for shifting the valve 97 into such position as to cut off power airas sup lied by line 98 from flow by the line 99 to fibw by line 166 intopower cylinder 103 for thrusting piston rod 104jtherefrom in the idle orrecover stroke. This supply of power air to the line 166 provides asimultaneous supply to line 148 past the valve 119 for flow by line 149past the valve 150 for operating the piston rod 156 in efl'ecting thefractional rotation of the cut-off disk 145.

The outward travel of this piston rod 104 as approaching the end of itsstroke resets the valve 101 due to the action of the pin 114 and thus bychecking exhaust, slows up the final travel of the piston rod 104.Likewise the valve 119 is reset which connects up power air from theline 120 to flow by line 167 to reset the valve 123. This controls flowof power air from line 124 to line 168 for thrusting piston rod 128upward for thereby lifting the table 78. Before this as position, withthe table 78 lowered, a gather cup 85 is in position adjacent the levelof the pool of glass 2 at the gather opening 19. urthermore, flexiblesuction air line 169fas connected to shiftable collar 134 has itselongated port 169 in register with duct 170 from which extends line 171to head 172 above the closed 'gather cup 85. There is thus a suctiongather or lifting of the molten glass from the pool into this gather cupat the interval of contact or lowering of the table 78. The reversal ofoperation by the resetting of this valve 123 effecting upward movementof the piston rod 128 for lifting of the table 78 clears this gather cupfrom the sides of the overhang 5 in the path of travel of this gathercup as mounted by the table 78. In this lifting operation, the pistonrod 128 strikes spring depressed stem 173 for closing valve 62, thusprecluding any change in the position of the rocker valve 64, while thistable is elevated. The line168 has branch line 174 to the cylinder 138effective in this interval for drawing the piston rod 139 into suchcylinder and thereby through the link 140 swinging the disk 145 of thecutter into cut-ofi' operation above the pool of glass in the overhang.There is'thus effected a shearing operation of the molten glass from thegather after the gather is lifted from the tank and just after it isstarted in its travel counterclockwise.

The blank table 92 has driving connection by its gear with gear 175mounted on shaft 176 carried by the platform 24 (Figs. 1, 2,

' 4, 5) This gear 17 5 is in mesh with gear 177 on shaft178 mounted onthe table 24 and having bearing 179 carried by the frame 36. This shaft178 has fixed therewith long pin ion 180 in mesh with the gear 135.Accordingly, in synchronism with the rotation of the blow table 112, andblank table 92, there is rotation of the gather table 78 which in theinstance shown herein is intermittent although the same transmissionconnection may be effective for synchronism with a continuous drive.

Fixed with this shaft 178 below the bearing 179 is sprocket wheel 181having sprocket chain 182 extending about sprocket wheel 38 looselymounted on the shaft 37. With the clutch lever 34 thrown into engagementto have its clutch 33 in mesh with clutch 42 fixed with the sprocketwheel 38 there is synchro- Y nism in driving of these molten glass poolcirculating paddles 13, 14, 15, 16, with the travel of the gather cups85. This movement may be intermittent as the operation of the tables isintermittent. But whether the operation be continuous or intermittent atthe gather position for the gather cup 85, the paddles should be clearof interference with such gather cup as coacting ..with the pool of'molten glass.

blank table 92, which blank table 92 may deliver a blank mold therefromto the blow table 112, each carrying an annular series of molds, say sixmolds each for the'blank and blow tables, and three gather cups for thegather table. As the iston rod 104 has 001111 pleted its driving stro e,the table 78 may be lowered to suction position in the gather opening 19at the-pool of glass, as the pool of glass has had the paddles operatingtherein for bringing fluid warm glass into position for such gather. Thesuction operation occurs as the table 7 8 moves and is completed justbefore the table is elevated. Thereafter the rotary shear 145is'e'ffective for severing adherent or surplusglass from the gather cupto fall back into the pool as a more or less chilled glass portion.quence, there may be a slight movement of this glass as drawn from thepool by the gather cup in the direction of the gather cup travel. In anyevent this chilled portion of the glass as severed, is immediatelyworked by the paddles clear of the opening 19 and back into the heatedregion in the forehearth or boot to be rewarmed with theexposin of afluid glass region for a subsequent g'at er.) In the event :there is tobe a shut down, forcare of the machine with the melt in the furnaceStill at its working level, the temporary shut down may be taken care ofby auxiliary motor 25. To this end the clutch lever 34 may be operatedto cut out drive connection At the timing se from the sprocket 38 forthe driving connection with the sprocket 31. This 0 eration of'* thelever 34 is effective through t e valve 56 for cutting out any pneumaticoperation whichwould effect the sequence of operations of the gathercups so that the gather cups 85 are elevated and as so clear of the poolthere may be continuous rotation of the paddles to maintain the glass inthe forehearth against freezing and with a fluidity for readily startingup" of the machine after the shut down, if it be but temporary. For moreextended shut down, the paddle device may be removed from the pool ofmolten glass. This is effected by removing the roof section 18 and thenby operating the lever 43, lift this metal paddle device, which at alltimes in normal operation is in the pool of the molten glass andsubmerged in such pool.

In the shearing operation of the disk 145,

lfn instances where it is not desired to lift the roof of the boot andwhere it is desired to shut down the operation of the device for morethan temporary interval, the paddle device may be kept from freezing inthe glass by dropping dam 8 and removing drain plug 185 in the floor ofthe overhang or boot thus to draw off the molten glass from the bootbefore such freezes and get such glass clear of thenichrome paddle 13,14, 15, 16. This metal paddle as continuously in the glass duringoperation hereunder is of a material not tending to dissolve or discolorthe lass. b It will be seen from the foregoing that this suction gatherdevice, as traveling, has its suction effective at the lowered position.The cycle of operations is that the table 79 is lowered during itstravel and that its periods of rest are in the elevated position. lhesuction begins as the lower portion of the gather cup 85 is at thesurface of the glass and this suction continues until just before thelifting occurs. This lifting during the driving operation is permitted bthe long pinion 180 as coacting with the gear 135.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A furnace structure providing a pool of molten glass having an;opening thereabove for upward withdrawal of gathers therefrom, and arotary molten glass circulating paddle device operable in the pool'on anaxis perpendicular to the surface of the pool, said paddle having agreatest radial extent portion thereof continuously submerged in thepool and spaced from the surface of the pool, the surface of the glassabove the paddle device being free and unobstructed.

2. A furnace for a pool of molten glass having an open top gatherportion, and a vertical axis paddle device havin a greatest radialextent portion thereo continuously submerged in the pool and spaced fromthe surface of the pool to approximate the temperature of the pool anddisposed to operate past said gather portion, the surface of the glassabove the paddle device being free and unobstructed.

8. A glass furnace tank having an overhang provided with an exposedgather region, a rotary shaft in the overhang laterally of the gatherregion, and a paddle in the overhang for full rotation operation by saidshaft beyond said gather region, said. paddle as below the surface ofthe pool being of greater radial extent in thereby creating greaterlineal sub-surface velocity, the surface of the glass above the paddlebeing free and unobstructed.

4. A furnace having a molten glass pool, said furnace having an overhangtherefrom provided, with a floor over which said pool to 'be operated bysaid shaft, said paddle hav-,

ing its greater radial extent spaced below the surface of the pool, agather device for removing glass from the pool, a device for the gatherdevice, and connections from the gather device for controlling thepaddle device operation in synchronism with the gather devic i 6. Afurnace having a molten glass pool, said furnace having an overhangtherefrom provided with a floor over which said pool extends, a rotaryshaft upwardly through y the overhang floor, a paddle in the overhang tobe operated by said shaft, said paddle having its greater radial extentspaced below the surface of the pool, a gather device for removing glassfrom the pool, a drive for the gather device, transmission connectionsfrom the gather device for controlling the paddle device operation insynchronism with the gather device, and connection for connecting thepaddle device for actuation by the gather device or permitting actuationindependently thereof.

7. A glass furnace for a pool of molten glass having an open top gatherportion, a vertical axis multiple paddle device for circulating moltenglass past said open portion, said paddles having their outward terminisubmerged, independent, and of greater area below the surface of thepool, a gather device, a cut-off device for gather surplus to fall backinto the. furnace, and a drive for the devices in synchronism.

8. A glass furnace for a pool of molten glass having an open top gatherportion, a vertical axi multiple paddle device for circulating mol englass past said open portion, said paddles having their outward terminisubmerged, independent, and of greater area below the surface of thepool, a gather device, a cut-off device for gather surplus to fallbackinto the furnace, and driving means for the devices effective toposition and operate said cut-off device. I

9. A glass furnace having an open top gather portion, a gather devicefor operating thereinto, a disk cut-off for cooperating with said gatherdevice to have surplus gather fall back into the furnace, means forrovice and means for axially shifting the disk as to cooperativeposition with the gather device.

10. A glass furnace having an open top gather portion, a gather devicefor operating thereinto, a disk cut-off for cooperating with said gatherdevice to have surplus gather fall back into the furnace, anintermittent rotation actuator for the disk of the cut-off device, andmeans for shifting the disk into position as to the gather device.

11. A glass furnace having an open top gather portion, a gather devicefor operating thereinto, a disk cut-off for cooperating with said gatherdevice to have surplus gather fall back into the furnace, a rack forrotating the disk of the cut-off device, .and an arm for shifting thedisk into position as to the gather device.

12. A glass furnace having an open top gather portion, a gather devicefor operating thereinto, a disk cut-off for cooperating with said gatherdevice to have surplus gather fall back into the furnace, and angularrotation means for shifting the disk in fractional rotations as totalingunequal to a single rotation.

13. A glass furnace having a solid-mass submerged metallic glasscirculating device therein approximating the temperature of the moltenglass as directly-exposed to the molten glass.

14. A glass furnace for a pool of molten glass, an overhang therefromhaving a gather opening top approximating the level of the pool, acontrollable drain for the overhang independent of said gather opening,and an adjustable dam between the overhang and the furnace shiftable forcutting off glass communication from the furnace with the drain.

15. A glass furnace for a pool of molten glass, an overhan therefromhaving an upwardly open sur ace gather opening, there beingopening-restricting inwardly-projecting ledge means over the poolsurface.

16. A glass furnace having an open top gather portion, a gather devicefor operating thereinto, a cut-off for cooperating with said gatherdevice to have surplus gather fall back into the furnace, actuatingmeans for moving the device toward the cut-off and therebeyond, atraveling mold, and discharge means for .the gather from the device intothe mold.

17. A glass furnace having an open top gather portion, a suction gatherdevice for operating thereinto, a cut-off for cooperating with saidgather device to have surplus gather fall back into the furnace, arotary support for moving the device toward the cut-oif and therebeyond,and. an open 'top traveling mold over which the device is movable fordischarge of the gather from the device into the mold. 1

18. A glass furnace having an open top gather portion, a suction atherdevice forv operating thereinto, said evice comprising and means foropening the device for dropping'gather therefrom into the mold.

In witness whereof I afiix my signature. FRANK ONEILL.

@ERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. i, 852, 329.. p Granted April 5, 1 932, to

FRANK O'NEILL.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationofthe shove numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, line81, claim I 5, for the word "device" read drive; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of April, A. D. 1932..

\ a M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

